Sunday, August 26, 2007

What it is...I have no idea. Maybe it's just me, but I'd like my Football with a little less anger. It is just a "game" after all. I don't care if we are talking about Mike Vick....no one ever needs to be THIS serious....

I'm so confused. So I'm supposed to hope that Vick comes back soon why? Because jail sucks? Isn't that the whole point? Someone help me out here.

Olberdouche is such a dweeb, why is he using big words and ponderous run on sentences in the middle of a football game?

Mr. High School Teeny Bopper Drama Queen.

Oh, and Madden was so awful, seemed more out of it than usual.

Al and John, and the moron Kremer, probably spent 3 quarters talking about something other than what was on the field. WHy is Andrea Kremer asking questions that take five minutes to finish? Blah, blah, blah...

This is going to be an awful season, I can see the games being overshadowed by the wonderful talent that helps us understand feelings and emotions of men.

BTW, does Mr. Newsman Olberdouche take into account the Commonwealth of VA going after Vick? If he were to investigate a little, he might find that States generally send people to jail for a long time for killing animals.

He's saying that we, as a society or something, need Vick back so we can see him try to be a QB again.

Why is he kissing Vick's ass? Is he trying for an interview or something?

I agree that his commentaries are not right for this program. But seriously, HollywoodWags, why the anger? He's just saying that when he serves his sentence, he should be allowed to live his life and not be forced to have a scarlet letter branded on him.

I don't know. Are you just upset that a guy who openly challenges the lies that Right Wing Nation serves up on a daily basis gets to have such a high profile job? Maybe he should be sent to purgaroty like the Dixie Chicks for thinking for himself! Damn Liberal Media!

Congrats, idiots. Point one: KO was saying that Vick's life just gets worse from here. He goes to jail, does his time and then tries to resurrect a career by selling himself to any team that might take a chance on him, including Arena and CFL teams. He's just saying that Vick's punishment goes far beyond fines and jail time. Point two: KO is smart. If you don't understand the big words just ask someone for help, it's okay.

What moron came up with "Olberdouche"? Thats the dumbest name I've heard in a long time. If you don't understand what Olbermann is saying, maybe you should just get yourself a good book. How about "My Pet Goat"? I hear thats a good read.

Hollywood wags....dude what up? He very clearly stated that he should be allowed to move on with his career after he gets out of prison, just as you would be able to do if (from your anger, WHEN) you were to go to prison. I do not agree but I like that point of view because it is different than what every other talking head has been saying.

Further more sorry guys, this show is gonna be the best out there except for HBO's Inside the NFL. I think we all have been dumbed down by small words and yelling and screaming from ESPN and FOX over the past decade that we can't understand the Bob Costas', Peter King's, Keith Olbermann's, and all the other throw backs.

This show is going to be more HBO, than ESPN. Something a little easier to understand will be on tonight when ESPN is doing the MNF game. Don't worry they will be sure to water it down for you. Will you be happy then Hollywood?

I thought it was funny after Costas introduced Olbermann and Collinsworth said something to the effect of "another guy on this set, how many people are on this? We're going to need a couch or something"

Way to bite the hand that feeds you, Chris, but great point: Too many know-it-alls spoils the analysis.

Olbermann didn't defend Vick, he didn't say that Vick should get his job back, and he didn't say that Vick should be allowed to move on with his life after prison.

Anyone who watches the video can easily understand his point: Olbermann said that the prison term and suspension isn't the end of Vick's punishment. The real punishment will come when Vick tries to return to the NFL, tail between his legs (pun intended). The real humiliation will occur when NFL viewers (and even former fans) refuse to accept him back into the league. Stop worrying about the sentencing, the judge will handle that, and no amount of public outcry will influence the judge.

To say that Vick's "real punishment" is after prison is either incredibly naive or just plain stupid. He will be locked up, against his will for the next year at least. The day he gets out of jail he can do what he wants. (except vote) He doesn't HAVE to play football. Keith, save that type of rant for your next 2 million "George Bush is the Devil" or "Bill O'Reilly is the worst person in the world" pontification.

Anyone who thinks Olbermann is smart is, well, not too smart. This diatribe is a case in point - it's an incredibly simplistic, naive take on a topic, trumped up with big words and an hysterical, unintentionally funny delivery. If his writing were better, he wouldn't have to sell it with all the bug eyed histrionics.

Olbermann's ratings for his MSNBC show are almost non-existent. He once registered a ratings number that was comparable to "accidental viewing" - so not only is he a dumb man, think about the bozos who thought it a good idea to put him on this studio show. That sound you hear every Sunday night is millions of remotes flipping away during the halftime show.

Yeah, Olbermann is SOOOOOOO self-important. I guess you think the same thing about Rush and O'Reilly, too, since you are such a call 'em as you see 'em kind of guy right?

And if you're too stupid to understand what he says...then based on my experiences I'd say you are probably a conservative who loves the corporate welfare NFL, and probably lives South of the Mason Dixon.

Olberman is like a liberal Rush. None of them should be doing football, only politics, but Olberman shouldn't be doing politics either, but it strikes me here that he's trying to be a comedian even though he is talking completly serious; he shouldn't do that either.

Here's another interpretation (what is Olbermann, a neoDadaist?). I say what he's saying is the resurrection of Michael Vick will come after he has done his Federal Government and NFL stipulated time. He's saying, when Vick comes back, it will be without accolades, without the big money, without--really--people rooting for him to succeed. That, he says, is when Vick will have the opportunity to redeem himself as a human being, when he will be able to earn his way back from the depths of his own excavation. Olbermann doesn't want Vick to say, the hell with it, I'll get out of prison and go live on what's left from my NFL earnings; he wants him to try to be a real American hero and resurrect himself from disgrace.

Any effect his public indictment has had on endorsements, salary, public image, etc. should not be considered as part of the punishment enforced by the law of the USofA. The fact that he happens to suffer from vilification in the public eye is something of his own doing. The court should not say "Well, Mr. Vick, you appear to have suffered quite a bit already because of your unique circumstance. Therefore the punishment we hand down will take that into consideration." We are all equals before the law. Yes, I know, some may afford better representation, etc., but the fact is... he did the crime, now he does the time. Plain and simple.

He's like a weak-willed Dennis Miller. He desperately wants to rant, but sounds for all the world like an asthmatic thesaurus. Even when Olbermann is on a legitimate jag, his forced, gross-motor verbalization just fails the audience. Terrible delivery, just terrible.

As for this rant, spare me the sanctimony. Vick is vilified not for "making a mistake" or even fighting dogs. He's vilified for leading a six-year-old dog-fighting ring. Six years! Pacman Jones wasn't even playing in college when Vick was arranging these illegal matches.

Vick took a plea because he knew the Feds were going to nail him to a frickin' cross, seize ALL his assets, and make him absolutely unemployable by the NFL due to the reams of gambling and conspiracy related documentation. And Olbermann demands that we all now, suddenly, join together in wishing him a return?

Uh uh. I don't think so.

Financially, Vick is set for life. But as a human being, he didn't just blow it. He didn't make a mistake or act immaturely. He engaged in a criminal conspiracy for six freakin' years, and pretty much spat in the face of Roger Goodell, Art Blank, and every other person who ever hoped (against hope) that Michael Vick could do the right thing.

So spare me, Keith Olbermann, your high dudgeon and stumbling reproach. Vick is where he is now for a reason. And not all the poorly considered bluster in the world is going to change it.

What I took Keith's ponderous commentary to mean was that the longer Vick has to sit out, either in jail, or on suspension or both, the less visceral the response to his return will be. Olbermann is implying that if you really don't like Vick, that the sooner he tries to come back to the NFL the harder it will be on him because public opinion will still be heated up over this. The longer he sits out, the less vindictive his responders will be.

I don't agree with Keith, but I think that's the point he tried to convey, too cleverly to be effective.

Agreed with everyone above...and one more thing: Astute Howard Stern Show listeners should recognize that Olberman seems to be going out of his way to replicate the overly "newsy" delivery of Steve Langford, no? Of course, it works with Langford because the entire thing is a parody; Olberman is trying to be serious and comes off as a blithering idiot.

(I'd bet any amount I'm right about this. Olberman's a big Stern Show fan.)

I'm having a hard time with the people who say Olbermann doesn't belong on the show -- wasn't he one of the guys that helped make SportsCenter the juggernaut it is today? I think the guy knows sports. And considering that his viewership of 18-35 year olds for Countdown blows O'Reilly's out of the water, it seems that maybe the "big words" and "run-on sentences" actually DO appeal to some of the more literate folks in America (what's left of them, that is). That said, I do think NBC needs to transition to Olbermann's commentary a little more smoothly, and not "Welcome to the NFL on NBC -- here's a special comment by Keith Olbermann." And I'd rather listen to any of the guys on NBC (including, blech, Collinsworth) than any of the boobs on the WWL.

The only thing to consider about Michael Vick is if he hadn't been caught, he would probably be at a dog fight as we speak. He doesn't feel guilty because he was wrong, he feels guilty because he got caught.

BOOM, BOOM, everybody say KO.Yeah Keith is a bit of a joke, just takes himself way too seriously. It's absurd to say life after will be worse than time in the pen. In this society life after is an industry unto itself. As for Keith=Rush, maybe from POV, but he has shit ratings. And he appears to be notoriously bad in bed

It's all about context. When I watch football, I don't want a talking head pundit doing commentary. When I watch talking head pundits on MSNBC, I don't want to know what Cris Collinsworth thinks. NBC put their chocolate in my peanut butter and it all leaves a bad taste in my mouth. But to each their own.

For what it's worth, I'd rather hear Olberman--a dedicated SABRmetician--talk baseball instead of football. In that area, he is at his most entertaining.

What equation??? Shouldn't it be purgatory of incarceration, the purgatory of suspension, or am I just being none non so smart as Keith Olbermann.

High School level stuff, maybe Community College.

Transcript follows.

Bob, those who hate Michael Vick have made no secret they expect the Judge tomorrow and the Commissioner as soon as possible to punish him with the lengthiest prison term, the heaviest fine, the most definite of indefinite suspensions, and here's why they are wrong.

If you hate him, the equation should be pretty simple. His 130 mil contract is gone, his freedom is gone, his reputation is gone, we already know what he is, we're now just arguing about the price. And the real price comes to after jail, after the susp when Michael Vick tries to return to football, in 2010, maybe 2009. But the sooner the better. No NFL miscreant has been so vilified while an active player, not Pacman, not Lawrence Phillips, not Ray Lewis, not Leonard Little.

And even in a football world where just a week ago a scout could still completement Corey Ivy of the Ravens by calling him a quote, "a pitbull with a gold cap", no crime has been so viscerally felt and reviled and none non (?) so unforgiven.

And a year in the bighouse and two under suspension will not change that except to postpone the next enraged protest. Do not get me wrong. He is Michael Vick, not Michael Victim.

But if you think him evil, you should be rooting for him to be returned as soon as possible from the hell of incarceration and the hell of suspension to the hell of trying to be Michael Vick, would be qb, pleading for a job while the hounds of approbation are nipping at his heels, Bob.

The problem with Keith's comment last night about Vick, and how the worst punishment he could get was to have to go back out and face angry fans, is it's 180 degrees opposite what Keith said about Barry Bonds in the past, including on the NBC Nightly News the night of the All-Star Game.

You can't say Vick should be put back in the NFL because torment by fans would be enough, after you say Bonds' torment by fans in baseball isn't enough, and he should be indicted and thrown out of the game for illegal steroid use. It's either one or the other, and it shouldn't hinge on you wanting to show you're more incisive than everybody else by making a comment that goes against the current general opinion.

Look, the guy is literate as all get-out, but there is something to be said for people who think they get paid by the word and others who understand that economy/efficiency is the mark of real intelligence.

There's no doubting he comes by his views by honestly and earnestly referring to his thesaurus at every turn. Olbermann is a smart guy...and don't you forget it!

See, when Keith uses some of those really, really big words he knows that there are folks out there who-just-don't-get-it and that makes him and those who fawn over him just that much better.

Remember that smart kid in your middle school class who was always racing to get his hand up, first? Who always tried to correct the teacher? The one who walked around with his nose in the air because he (thought) he was smarter than everyone else? Ladies and gentlemen, I give you that kid: Keith Olbermann.

Don't get me wrong, there ain't nuthin' wrong with smarts! On the contrary. But what we're talking about here is what some people think passes for intelligence. What it really passes as is just another kind of flatulence...but with a 'tude.

I used to watch Keith when he was the sports anchor at KTLA-5 in Los Angeles. I often worked with people in the broadcast news industry and I heard my fair share of "Keith stories" during that time. Since then, I've gone on to work with broadcast folks on a more national level and, you guessed it, have heard even more about Mr. Olbermann and what a joy he is to work with over at his cable corner.

For you critics who have dinged him for his condescending approach to news & views, let me tell you...you're on the money. What's more, let me tell you to count your lucky stars you don't work with/for this guy.

I imagine that Keith goes to bed every night thinking he's this era's Edward R. Murrow. My hope is that one day Mr. Murrow will rise from his grave and smite this guy with his journalism stick. We'd be the better for it.

Luke said... 3:27 PM "I'm having a hard time with the people who say Olbermann doesn't belong on the show -- wasn't he one of the guys that helped make SportsCenter the juggernaut it is today? I think the guy knows sports. And considering that his viewership of 18-35 year olds for Countdown blows O'Reilly's out of the water, it seems that maybe the "big words" and "run-on sentences" actually DO appeal to some of the more literate folks in America (what's left of them, that is). "

THERE IS NOT ONE TIME,NOT ONE TIME,THAT OLBERMANN HAS EVER,EVER, BEAT BILL O' REILLY IN THE 18 TO 35 DEMO.WHERE TALKING ALMOST 5 YEARS WORTH OF TRYING.BOR ON ANY NIGHT WILL GET ANYWHERE FROM 2 TO 5 TIMES HAS MANY VIEWERS IN THE 18 TO 35 DEMO.

I just lost minutes off of my life listening to a great big combo douche/wind bag. SHUT UP, keith. No one thinks you're smart when you use open your webster's 5 minutes before every show. It just makes people want to change the channel faster.

I liked it. Not that it'll make a dent in the formidable stupidity of a country that resents being sent to their dictionary, but it's nice to see someone with brains who doesn't apologize for it to get a swing with the axe.

I'm sure its novelty is masked by violating a time-honored rule that some TV exec will get shit-canned over.

Hey dittoheads, I know it's tough facing actual FACTS but tvnewser.com runs ratings and analysis of all cable news shows. Go into the archives (meaning: april 2007 through summer 2007) and you will find analysis about Keith beating Bill O in the 24-56 demo. Keith's ratings keep increasing--and Bill O keeps lying about that because he knows his viewers won't check the facts themselves.

I will never understand why we can't have an honest debate in this country without Republicans calling everyone who disagrees with them traitors. What, we non-Republicans can't be patriotic if we disagree with you? That's what it was like in Hussein's Iraq, or today's Iran, or increasingly, today's Russia. That's not the America I grew up in.

I still don't see what you conservatives (I use the term loosely, since you don't believe in small government when it comes to war or people's personal lives) get out of people who tell you what to think. Keith presents an opinion; Bill O gives you "talking points." Bill O lies (see his funny commentary about lesbian gangs with pink pistols...lol....where'd he get that, the Onion?)

Here's his "retraction" of the lesbian gang story, which originally included the fantasy that they were raping young girls. What a whopper. You guys are fascinated with all things homosexual. To say he only meant there was an increase in gangs nationally is a joke. Guess he isn't worried about Aryan gangs then. (Wait, is Aryan too big a word for 'ya? That means "white").

"During the O’Reilly Factor segment on June 21st, while engaged in a discussion on Lesbian gangs, I inadvertently stated that gang members carry pistols that are painted pink and call themselves the "Pink Pistol Packing Group." I was not referring to the gay rights group "Pink Pistols" who advocates for the lawful rights of gays to carry weapons for protection. Further, I mentioned that there are "over 150 of these gangs" in the greater Washington DC area. What I actually meant is that there are over 150 gangs in the Washington DC area, some of which are in fact lesbian gangs. Lastly, I mentioned in the segment that there is this "national epidemic" of lesbian gangs. A better choice of words would have been to say that there is a growing concern nationally, and especially in major urban areas, of increased gang activity, which includes some lesbian gang activity.

And this is why Keith Olbermann shouldn't be on the show -- at least not if he's going to be treating it as Countdown: Pigskin Edition. People aren't even talking about football. Instead, the discussion has devolved into ridiculous political hyperbole. In the past, when I wanted to read about "Olberdouche" or "Republicans calling everyone who disagrees with them traitors," I had to go to one of the 50 million other blogs that talk about that sort of thing. Now, this mind-numbing bickering will be available on a weekly basis at all my favorite sports blogs and forums. Thanks, NBC!

It wouldn't be so unbearable if Olbermann had made a reasonably intelligent argument, but never in human history has one spoken so much yet said so little, and still managed to get it wrong (that's my attempt at K.O.-style prose). Even if Vick never makes another penny, and even with his ruined reputation (wait, he had a reputation?), he is still far better off than most of us will ever be. While it may, under some strange definition, be "hell" for Vick to have to beg for another chance in the NFL after leaving prison, that's a whole lot better than the hell other convicted felons face when all the begging in the world won't get them a job mopping floors.

Prison is the closest people like Vick get to experiencing the same punishment as people like us. But even then it's not exactly equal, for we all know Michael Vick, star NFL quarterback will get a shorter sentence and better treatment than Michael Vick, unknown dog fighter would have received.

When people call for Vick to be punished to the maximum extent of the law, they aren't acting out of blinded rage. They simply see what Olbermann apparently doesn't -- the massive imbalance that exists between celebrities and everyone else on the scales of justice.